welcome...

Welcome to the world Mr. Tyson Lee Sillivan!

Born December 20, 2012 at 5:55 a.m.

Mr. Ty weighed 5 pounds 5 ounces and was 19 inches long! Such a tiny tyke... but his papa and I couldn't be more proud!

36 weeks.

Holy schmoly... by the end of this week we'll be full term. 

Are you understanding the words coming out of my mouth?? 

5 more days and we will be full. term. 

My God... where has the time flown??

And so I have decided to mark this final week before it becomes a waiting game for Ty's arrival with a little questionaire of many of the questions that I received throughout this pregnancy. Not really because you're interested but because it may be fun to look back on someday... :)

How far along? 36 weeks (and 2 days to be exact...) - I can't believe I'm here!

Total weight gain: 22 pounds... and believe me - while I know most of it is weight for the baby... I am miserable. 

Maternity clothes? Getting dressed has become a challenge. I splurged on one good pair of maternity jeans but the rest has been stuff that I've already owned. And leggings. Lots and lots of leggings. 

Stretch marks? None on my belly (thanks for the good genes, mom!) but I did get one annoying little one on the under-side of my right boob. Random, I know. Guess my bitty-B-cups couldn't take the pressure...

Sleep? Totally unreliable. Most nights I toss and turn and wake up about 7-10 times to pee. And naps just leave me with migraines. But when I do sleep... it's amazing. On a typical night though, I fall asleep anywhere between 11 p.m.-1 a.m. and then am wide awake by 8 a.m. 

Best moment of my pregnancy so far? This is a tie. I had 3 moments which were all pretty awesome. Moment 1 - Hearing Ty's heartbeat for the first time. A friend had loaned us a fetal heartrate doppler and we had been trying to find the baby's heartbeat for a couple of weeks. One morning, I woke up before Brandon and decided to play with it a little while he slept in next to me. It took all of a minute to find it and I knew it was him because it was so fast. I didn't even have to wake Brandon up... the moment he heard it, his eyes shot open and he was so excited to hear it. It was that moment that the entire pregnancy became real to us. Moment 2 - Having Brandon feel Ty kick. I had been feeling him for a few weeks but the movements and kicking were so weak that half the time I wasn't sure what they were and the other half, I could only feel them because, well, he was inside of me. But one day, Brandon had his hand on my belly and Ty kicked. Hard. (Or I thought it was hard at the time... little did I know...) I will never forget as long as I live the look on Brandon's face. He grinned from ear-to-ear and his eyes may have even welled up with tears a little. :) Moment 3 - Telling our parents. I have never been so nervous/excited/scared to tell my parents something in my life. Brandon and I had planned up this elaborate scheme to tell my parents but on Mother's Day, while sitting across from them, I couldn't control myself and I just kind of blurted it out. My mom squealed and my dad couldn't stop giggling. We did a bit more of a "show" for Brandon's parents and were able to capture the moment on camera but I've got to tell you... both of their excitement for our little blessing has been the icing on the cake for this pregnancy. 

Least favorite part of this pregnancy? I must admit... I don't do pregnant well. It's not that I've had this terrible pregnancy because it really has been pretty breezy but I just don't feel like myself. And I hate that. I hate not having any clothes to wear. Or constantly having to keep a bottle of Maalox within reaching distance. And I hate how I constantly feel out of breath and just so... heavy. 

Movement: Ty has been super active. But mostly at night and in the early morning. He's truly part of the problem why I don't fall asleep until so late. Once I get comfy, he's all like - Oh yay! You're still now, mom! Let me show you my tumbling tricks and my kickboxing skills! 

Food cravings? Not really. Most things I crave, I craved before I was pregnant so I can't really blame them on the pregnancy now, can I? But I have wanted lots of apples and fruit. 

Symptoms? The only symptom I've had pretty regularly has been heartburn. And it makes me want to throw myself off a bridge. I never had heartburn before pregnancy and now I feel as though I will never be rid of it. My throat is in a constant burning state. It's super fun. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope. 

Labor signs? Braxton Hicks contractions are becoming more regular. And a bit more uncomfortable than they were a month or even two weeks ago. Yesterday I even had one shoot up my back. Ty has officially "dropped" and as of late last week, I am 3 centimeters dilated. Not to mention I've lost my mucous plug (TMI? Sorry...)! So I think it's safe to say labor is imminent! 

Wedding rings on or off? On. 

Happy or Moody most of the time? Yikes. I'd like to say that my emotions have been pretty stable although I'm sure Brandon would disagree with me there. I have been doing a lot more crying than usual. But I was a cry-baby before I got pregnant. Aside from the first trimester where I was an emotional/miserable disaster, I've been pretty happy and excited!

Looking forward to: All of it. But, really, just meeting him. It's been months and months where I've imagined holding him and feeling him and smelling and kissing him all over. When I think about how close we are I get giddy with excitement and get this insane burst of energy to just do something... anything... that will make his arrival go more smoothly. 

birthday boy.

Today is Brandon's 29th birthday! 

I'm sure everyone says this about the love of their lives but I truly feel, with every breath and every beat of my heart, that I am the luckiest girl in the world to have found someone so amazing, loving, and kind to spend the rest of my life with. I thank God every day for him. Every single day. 

But today is a special day for someone else, too. Today, 29 years ago, Brandon's mom, Ms. Teresa, became a mommy. 

I guess before I got pregnant I always thought of a person's birthday as their day. And in many, many ways it is. Today we are celebrating Brandon turning another year older. Another year of love and laughter and many surprises. I get 365 more days to fall more in love with him. But it's also Ms. Teresa's day... 29 years ago it was her birth-day. The day she had spent 9 months preparing for... sewing his first quilt, hanging (or attempting to hang) wallpaper in his nursery, and learning to love the little boy whom she had not yet met but would become one of her greatest accomplishments. And 29 years ago today, Brandon was born and although Brandon doesn't remember it.... she does. 

And so this is to Ms. Teresa:

I know that the day I will become a mother will be one of my most favorite days. And today is that day for you. I still have yet to experience the kind of love that you have for Brandon and I truly can not wait to finally hold Ty and smell him and hear him. I truly have some wonderful examples of motherhood in my life and I'm so glad that you are one of them. I want you to know that you did such a good job raising Brandon. He is such a good man. Such a loving husband. And he is going to be an amazing, amaaazing father. I hope and pray that Ty will be just like his daddy. And I have you to thank for that. I hope you know how much we love you... how lucky I feel to have such a wonderful mother-in-law... and how lucky Ty will be to have you as his Grandma. So Happy Birth-day! And thanks for this guy: 

35 weeks(ish).

At 35 weeks (and 3 days....):

- Ty is 5.25 pounds and the size of a honeydew melon!
- I'm tired. Not quite the coma-state tired that I was during the first trimester but definitely napping quite a bit more than usual.
- Ty is getting stronger. Much stronger. Like, ohmigod-he's-going-to-punch-threw-my-stomach stronger.
- The nursery decorating has commenced!

- I'm still craving honeycrisp apples. And have also begun craving smoothies, salads, and anything with cheese on it.
- The only exercise I'm getting is in my wrist from all the thank you cards I've been writing. (And I consider it exercise because if you can cramp from it... and I am getting quite a bit of hand cramps... then it's considered exercise in my book).
- I have peed on myself 4 times. True story.
- This "nesting" is getting out. of. control. Brandon begs me to sit on the sofa with him so we can watch one of our favorite shows together but when I do I just anxiously count the minutes until it's over so that I can finish cleaning the baseboards. 
- Ty is getting the hiccups quite often. And it tickles (a.k.a. drives me insane). 
- I have never adored/loved/been so protective of something in my life... especially considering that I have yet to meet this little heartbreaker. 

showered.

People are constantly asking me what my favorite part is about being pregnant and for a while, I was unsure how to answer them. There are so many aspects of it that I love... but how do you put those into short 3-4 word answers. 

It wasn't until this past month, with Thanksgiving and Christmas and (dare I say it?!) Ty's arrival just around the corner that I realized my favorite part of being pregnant. 

The love. 

It seems as if every person in my life has come forward with so much love and advice and gifts and well-wishes that I am constantly overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude. Some days, Brandon will walk into a room where I will be just sobbing and he'll immediately run to my side all panicked and worried and ask what's wrong, and in between sobs I'll choke out how I just am constantly feeling so. very. blessed. 

I feel as if I have prayed more in the past 8 months then I have in most of my life... asking God for guidance, patience, and wisdom to bring this new life into the world but also thanking Him. Thanking Him for every single person that he has placed in my life because each one is playing such a vital role in mentally preparing me for what will become one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences of my life... whether they realize it or not. 

And as if the text messages, the phone calls, the lunch dates, and the sweet letters aren't enough to make me feel loved.... my friends and family are also throwing Ty and I showers and buying us baby gifts. It's enough to turn me into an emotional/sobbing/never-be-able-to-thank-them-enough mess. 

Last Sunday, two of my besties, Michelle and Sophie, threw Ty and me a "Cute as a Button" themed brunch shower. I've never been to a shower so lovely, much less had the pleasure of being the guest-of-honor for one!

Along with some delicious breakfast hors d'oeuvres, one of the best white cakes I've ever tasted, and some "citrus brunch punch" that I almost single-handedly finished off... there was also a onesie-making station! Probably one of the most fun things I've ever done! 

And as if all of that wasn't enough... this past Thanksgiving Day, Brandon's family threw me a spur-of-the-moment Thanksgiving Day themed shower! 

(Please excuse the poor quality of these photos... since I had no idea the shower was taking place, I, unfortunately, was unable to properly document how wonderful and lovely it truly was.)

With carrot cake, apple cider, and a "Katie's Pregnancy" trivia game (that even I didn't know half the answers to) it ended up being a surprise memory that I will cherish and never forget. 

My only wish is that Ty knew and understood how lucky he is. He is being born into a world where most of the people who he will come to know have loved him unconditionally since he was just a lemon-drop in my belly. He (along with Brandon and I) is very lucky, indeed. 

love it & really?

First and foremost, Lola and Ty are going to play "Who Wore It Better?" because she just looves wearing his baby clothes. 

Actually I'm lying. She hates it. And me, for making her do it. But she's such a good sport. 

Love it.

- Ty is officially getting getting BIG. My little man is weighing just under 4 pounds and gaining about AN OUNCE a day!
- Having Brandon away for work during the past 2 weeks but still getting to see him yesterday and the day before because he was staying in hotels only a short drive away. Yay for cuddles!
- The little road-trip my mom and I are going to take this weekend to Houston so that we can pick up some of Ty's first furniture! And let the nursery decorating OFFICIALLY begin!!!
- Having the energy and patience to do Wal-Mart during rush hour. It's a pregnancy miracle!
- Brandon telling me that he just loves our family so much. Our family. Whoa. We've officially started one of those.
- Passing my glucose test with flying colors! And according to my mid-wife, my blood pressure and iron levels are "textbook perfect"! Yipeee!
- And because no "love it" post would be complete without the mention of food - the vegetable lo mein I just inhaled was pretty flippin' amaaaazing. 

Really?

- The fantasy I have of bed-pans. Kinda mortifying that I actually fantasize about being able to pee without leaving the comfort of my bed but I totally do. 
- Eating an entire pecan pie by myself in a 3-day time period. Oh, the gluttony. 
- My butt is literally getting flat and wide. Is granny-ass a pregnancy side effect? Because it should be. 
- Pregger brain running dry. Brandon, at this stage, probably thinks he married an idiot. 
- Hypnobirthing. I took a class and I sucked. My mind just does not have the capability to completely calm itself into nothingness and total relaxation. Instead, I was that girl that couldn't stop giggling. And when I tried to stop, it just made matters worse and I giggled harder and louder. What am I? A thirteen year old? 
- Looking at myself naked in the bathroom mirror (what? you do it. just because you don't announce it to everyone....) and realizing that my belly is becoming the shelf to house my ta-tas. Part of me is like, Yay! My boobies are getting big! and the other part of me is like, Dude. Look at your stomach. Look. At. It. You're a whale.
- And while we're on the subject of being totally inappropriate... pregnancy causes constipation, ya know? So when the deed is done, I feel the need to let Brandon know. And he responds with a "Good job, hun!" and we really are both so excited. It's totally weird but I kinda love it. Now I'm just debating whether I should buy a potty chart to hang on the fridge to put gold stars on. 

at 31 weeks.

At 31 weeks:
- I'm literally dying to meet him. And secretly hoping he comes a teensy bit early. 
- I'm craving pecan pie. And honeycrisp apples. And anything that horseradish can be added to. 
- Ty is being a good little boy and keeping his head down. I have the sore ribs to prove it. 
- I feel fat. My clothes are literally stretched to the max. And I swear I won't let people take pictures of my face for fear of my double-chin. 
- All pillow talk is consumed with talk of our new little family and all the things we plan on doing with our little man. Baths, feedings, reading to him... and letting him be naked. Because nothing's cuter than a little butt with baby cellulite. 
- I feel like I can't breathe. Constantly. Thank you, uterus, for squishing my lungs to the point of suffocation. 
- When sleeping happens, it's the most amazing sleep ever. But most of the time I just lay there. Which is totally okay because that's usually the time Ty is the most active. So I just put my hand on my belly and rub him. I'm totally in love. 
- My balance is whack. I'm tripping and bumping into EVERYTHING. I'm actually currently nursing a busted pinky toe right now. 
- We haven't purchased a single thing for Ty's nursery yet. This probably means something... 
- I cry. All the time. Over everything. I can be happy... sad... or in the case of yesterday, have no emotion at all and just start crying. Gotta love preg hormones. 

In 6 weeks we'll be full term! Can you believe it?? Oh, baby boy, we can not wait to meet you!